Eyes Along The Coast

National Coastwatch is a charity staffed and managed by volunteers whose mission is to help save lives at sea and around the UK coastline. If you, a family member or friend uses the coastal waters or the shoreline – maybe canoeing, fishing, boating or even walking on our beautiful but sometimes treacherous coastline – we are watching and keeping you safe.

National Coastwatch is a critical part of UK Search and Rescue. We work alongside His Majesty’s Coastguard, the RNLI and the ‘blue-light’ emergency services to assist in the protection and saving of life at sea and along the coastline of England and Wales.

We operate 61 stations with over 2800 trained volunteer Watchkeepers around the coast, maintaining a close watch on beaches and inshore waters in order to assist in the preservation and protection of life. Additional to this is the close observation given to hazards to mariners, pollution, mammals and bird life and inshore water sportsmen and women, lost children and vessels in distress. Sophisticated electronic, optical and camera equipment is employed to maintain this surveillance and all incidents are reported to HMCG

We are funded primarily through public donations through passive and active local fundraising at stations and at external events. These events are many and diverse and are crewed by the same volunteer Watchkeepers. All funds are used to manage the charity, which is a 100% top-down volunteer organization, and to maintain, equip and re-equip the estate of 61 stations. No salaries are paid, and volunteers purchase their own kit and transit to and from the stations at their own expense. Some professional services such as legal and financial are bought in, which is a requirement of the Charity Commission.